


Faultline

by asterisks



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Abuse, Anger, Angst, Angst and Humor, Destiel - Freeform, Falling In Love, First Kiss, Friendship/Love, M/M, Romance, Slash, Suicide Attempt, Triggers, Underage Drinking, Verbal Abuse, Young Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-05
Updated: 2013-12-17
Packaged: 2017-12-10 11:04:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 21,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/785334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asterisks/pseuds/asterisks
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Castiel is the new student at Lawrence High and he eventually meets Dean Winchester. Dean is a troubled teen who's great at hiding it. The two are polar opposites but somehow manage to maintain a friendship. Castiel might become the person who saves him from hitting rock bottom.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Savior

Dean was out cold. He was sitting in the back of the room near the window with his head down on the desk. The school year had just started and he was already exhausted. He found it hard to stay focused when he didn't have any motivation to strive for something more. His parents didn’t help much either since they were always focused on Sam. He loved Sam more than anything and wouldn't hold their parent's decisions against him. His grades weren't the best but he managed to pull off decent passing marks. This was his junior year and he still felt like it was just the beginning.  
  
Third period finally ended and the bell rang. The students wasted no time in packing up.  
  
"Read chapter two for class tomorrow." The teacher murmured quickly before everyone rushed out of the room.  
  
Meanwhile, Dean remained asleep until a firm hand shook him. "Yo, wake up, man." Said a deep voice as more of the students filed out of the room.  
  
Dean groaned and raised his head up from the cool wooden desk. "Ugh, what, Gordon?"

"The bell rang, it's time for lunch."  
  
"Damn..." The class really flew by. The drained teen gathered his things and forced himself up to his feet. He had no energy to even walk so getting up was tedious. "I'm so hungry." He droned as he exited the room. He didn't even realize that he had left Gordon behind. Dean's entire day began on a crappy note. He overslept, burned himself with the coffee, and left his homework at home.  
  
Dean grunted when he ran right into someone. "Fuck, I'm sorry, man." He completely tore himself from his thoughts to focus on the figure that was on their knees in front of him. He noticed the papers sprawled out on the dusty floor and pieced together what the kid was doing. He crouched down to assist him. "Sorry again."

"No apologies needed. It was an accident." He said calmly.  
  
Dean helped him pile the papers up and handed them over. "Yeah...uh sure." He locked eyes with the figure and froze for a moment. He didn't recognize him but his eyes definitely caught his attention. Such bright blue orbs. "Hey, you're the new kid everyone's been talking about."  
  
"Yes." He stood from the floor and nodded to Dean. "Thank you for your help. Enjoy your day." He walked past Dean and headed down the hall.  
  
"Uh, yeah thanks." Dean turned and watched the kid disappear into the crowd. He didn't even catch the guy's name.

* * *

Lunch was fine; Dean went out for burgers since the school lunch was surly equivalent to death. He dreaded going to his next class, history bored him to oblivion. Regardless, he made it with 6 minutes to spare. Finding a parking spot after lunch was torture so the only solution was to arrive early. Once in his class, he sat in his usual seat near the window like he did in all of his classes and gazed out the window. He kept counting down to the end of the day so he could just go back to bed. He propped his feet up onto the basket underneath the empty seat in front of him.   
  
The room began to fill and people where taking their seats. The guy from earlier took a seat in front of Dean. Dean stared at the back of his head contemplating on whether or not to speak to the guy. Before he could make a decision the teacher started talking.  
  
"We have a new student joining us." He pointed to the brunette in the black vest. "Come on up and introduce yourself."  
  
"Thank you but I decline your offer."  
  
The teacher blinked and a few students chuckled from their seats. "Uh, alright I guess. Well, this is Castiel so yeah, welcome to Lawrence High."  
  
Castiel nodded to him before looking down at his book.  
  
Dean couldn't stop his lips from curling into a smile. This Castiel guy was weird. What teenager even talked like that? Dean for some reason paid attention in class. He took halfhearted notes but that was more work than he had done since the semester had started two weeks ago.  
  
Once class was over he went back to his debate about approaching Castiel. Obviously he wasn't the type of person he hung around but something was preventing him from dropping it.  
  
Castiel had vanished liked the wind; quickly and effortlessly.

"Damn."

* * *

The last class for the day had finally graced him with its presence. It was Friday and he was looking forward to enjoying the next two days of peace and relaxation. His parents and Sam were leaving town for some science convention that Sam was a part of and wouldn’t return until Monday night. Dean chose to stay behind.  
  
He took his time making his way to the school's parking lot; he wasn't in any hurry to get home.  
  
"Hey Dean!" A voice called out to him from a distance. It was Gordon accompanied by two other guys.  
  
Dean stopped in his tracks and glanced back down the hall. He spotted the three running towards him.  
  
"We're headed to pique point. You should come with us."  
  
"Pass. All you guys do is weird ass drugs up there."  
  
"No drugs," one of the guys commented. "Just booze."  
  
"Come on, it'll be fun."  
  
His parent would be gone by the time he got home so he didn't have to worry about getting in trouble. "Sure, why not?"

Dean made a quick run to his car and threw his backpack into the backseat then returned to Gordon’s and hopped into the car. At least this would keep him occupied and focused on something other than his life. He stared out the backseat window as the others talked about the gathering they were headed to.  
  
"Cat got your tongue, Winchester?" Gordon teased.  
  
Dean rolled his eyes. "Don't make me regret agreeing to this."  
  
"Alright, alright, don't get your panties in a bunch, Mr. Emotional." Gordon and Dean weren't that close. In fact, they were just associates and nothing more. Dean didn't have many _close_ friends, only three, Jo, Ash, and Garth. The other people were just the ones who liked the idea that Dean was popular.  
  
"Shut your cake hole." He murmured, not once taking his gaze from the window.  
  
"So hostile." The guy in the passenger's seat spat.  
  
Dean was already regretting this decision now.

* * *

Time seemed to have stopped just for Dean. He was enjoying the carefree feeling that was pulsating through his veins. He laughed softly to himself when he realized how dark it was. Flopping down on the ground he gazed up at the star filled sky. It was quiet out. He could hear the crickets and any other living organisms that were around. Dean didn't care that he was lying in dirt in the middle of nowhere. What time was it anyway? Last time he checked it was four in the afternoon. "Son of a— bitch." He choked out in a drunken slur. He didn't even remember drinking that much. How did he get this wasted?  
  
He forced himself back to his feet and continued walking. Where? Well even he didn't know he was drunk out of his mind.

* * *

Dean woke to a sharp pain traveling through his body. He felt cold and was finding it hard to breathe. Each breath he took stung like a knife piercing through his flesh. He felt nauseous. There was a bright light shining in his face and he was drifting in and out of consciousness.  
  
"Can you hear me?" Said the soft voice. "Don't move, okay? You're going to be alright."  
  
Dean couldn't make out who was speaking or what they were saying. He just saw a shadowy figure above him and felt arms around him. Before he knew it, he passed out again.

* * *

With a tight gasp Dean jolted up from the bed. With grave repercussions for his movement, he winced at the sharp pain in his head. "What the-" He looked around the plain room. The walls were a forest green; there were drapes on the windows and the room was just dull and nearly empty. There were no rock posters or swimsuit models...any of that on the walls. "This isn't my room! This isn't my room..."  
  
"No. It is not."  
  
Dean jumped when he heard the voice. "Damn it!" He clutched at his chest in surprise. He didn't even realize the guy was in there with him. "…hey, it's you. Castiel right?"

"Yes."  
  
Dean stared at him for a moment then grew uncomfortable because Castiel was just staring at him with no signs of movement. He glanced away to break the awkward silence. "Um..."  
  
Castiel was seated closely next to the bed, his legs folded tightly in the chair and his hands in his lap. He didn't really understand the personal space boundaries. "How are you feeling?"

"I feel like I was hit by two semi-trucks."  
  
"That is accurate." Castiel commented.  
  
"What? What the hell happened last night?"  
  
"I'm not aware of your whereabouts before the road but I discovered you on the road near the freeway. I was convinced you were hit by a vehicle. I insisted on taking you to the hospital but you refused violently."  
  
Dean raised a brow. That explained the bright lights he kept seeing but he was pretty sure he wasn't hit by a car. "Did I hit you?"  
  
"Correct."  
  
"Sorry man. I was-"  
  
"Intensely intoxicated. You're too young to be drinking. You could damage yourself."  
  
"I'm already damaged." He murmured with a dry laugh. Dean sat up completely and turned to Castiel. "I'm Dean by the way." He said since he hadn't told the other teen his name yet.  
  
He extended his hand. "Castiel."

"Uh, thank you for not leaving me out there."  
  
"You're welcome."  He unfolded his legs and leaned closer to the bed. "You could have died; you were cold and pale when I found you. You were barely breathing." He paused for a moment and touched Dean's face before moving it down to his chest, right over his heart. "Your heartbeat was barely audible. I was sure you were dying. Now it's beating strong, like you." Castiel didn't know Dean but he felt a strong aura that came from the teen.  
  
Dean felt so weird. Why was this guy so touchy and why was he talking like that? He bit his lip and looked Castiel in those bright blue eyes. They were both silent for a moment.  
  
"May I ask where you were headed?"  
  
Dean stared at Castiel awkwardly. He didn't realize how messed up he had gotten last night. He had gotten drunk plenty of times before but nothing like Castiel described. Then he registered the hand on his chest again. "Um-- uh I dunno. I don't remember anything except for arriving at the Point. Everything after is a blur."  
  
Castiel removed his hand and sat back in his chair. "I brought you to my home since you refused medical treatment. You're clothes are drying now as well. You were covered in dirt when I found you."  
  
Dean nodded and flopped back down on the bed and closed his eyes. This guy had done so much for him. He wanted to repay him but wasn’t sure how. For now though he would just sleep. He felt content and would sleep. At least it was the weekend.  
  
"Get some rest. I'll be back to check on you in a while."

Dean nodded and grabbed Castiel’s arms when the other teen stood. This was a complete stranger. He knew nothing about him but something deep inside said trust him. Dean didn’t have profound connections with people but his mind and his heart was taking Castiel into consideration. They could grow to be great friends. “Thank you.”

Castiel smiled and pulled the comforter up over Dean. “Sleep.” He turned and walked over to the door but stopped before leaving. He looked back at the recovering male and spoke. “Thank me when you are better.” With that said he exited the room.


	2. Have You Noticed That I'm Destructive?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel and Dean are getting to know each other a bit more and that may or may not be a good thing. Meanwhile, Dean continues to keep his secret protected and tries his best to allude Castiel's slight persistence.

Dean didn't even remember falling asleep but he slept for hours. It was now 8 at night and he felt like he'd been out for days. After cautiously sitting up in the bed he yawned, looking around the quiet bedroom. His attention instantly darted to the chair placed next to the bed. He was checking to see if Castiel had been there again and to his surprise there was no one there.

Throwing the covers off his legs, he forced himself out of the bed. He didn't want to stay in bed any longer but he also didn't want to roam around some stranger’s house in case they were gone or asleep. With a muffled sigh he yanked the door open and jumped when he ran right into Castiel. "God damn it, Castiel!"

"You should not use the Lord's name in vain."

He rolled his eyes in an annoyed manner. "Do you make a habit of lurking around like a creep?"

"No."

Dean stared at him. "I should um, head home now."

"You should be getting bed rest."

"Dude, I'm fine. I'm alive ain’t I?"

"I will walk you home."

Dean could tell there was no getting out of it so he just nodded. The guy was very persistent. "Fine, can I have my clothes if I agree?" He asked. It had just registered to him that he was nearly naked. He only had on a pair of dark blue boxers.

"Yes, of course. I'll fetch them for you." He turned and exited the bedroom. He was worried that Dean wasn't fully recovered and just wanted to get him back to full health. That's just how Castiel was; a nurturer.

Dean had already returned to the bed when Castiel came back with his clothing. He waited patiently and resisted the urge to snoop.

"Your shoes are on the side of the bed." He informed Dean as he placed the clean clothes next to the troubled teen.

Dean smiled and stood. "Thanks." He quickly slid on his jeans and pulled the black T-shirt over his head. "Thanks again, man." He said as he pushed his foot into his gym shoe. "My ass could have died if it wasn't for you." He tied up his shoes and threw the new student a look. "Are you ready to go, Mr. Fix It?"

Castiel nodded, ignoring the unusual nickname. "Yes, I am."

* * *

When Dean stepped outside he narrowed his eyes in a bewildered manner. "What the--" He turned to Castiel and laughed softly. "You live across the street from me." He saw the moving trucks a few days ago but he never saw the people who moved in. What were the chances of his savior actually living across the street from him? A million to one.

"I was not aware. I still intend to walk you home and make sure you get in bed okay."

"Yes of course, doctor." Dean joked. As he walked down the steps he felt around in his pockets for his keys. Since Castiel was coming over any way, he could more effectively get to know him. He was the new kid after all. "Yo, you wouldn't happen to have a black key ring with a set of keys on it would you?" Dean always kept them in his back pocket while out.

"Yes." He answered as he extended his hand. "I removed them so they would not be misplaced."

"Thanks, man."

"You are welcome."

After taking the keys, Dean smiled and darted off across the street and jogged up to his front door. Castiel, a moment later, followed closely behind. He was still concerned for Dean's health. "You shouldn't be running it is not good for your recovery."

"Dude, I'm good-- almost peachy." He unlocked the door and walked inside.

Castiel stood outside on the porch as Dean entered the house. He wasn't one to intrude.

"You just gonna stand out there? Dude, come in."

"Thank you." He walked inside and closed the door behind himself. Taking a slow breath he looked at Dean. "I need to get you in bed."

Dean raised a brow and suppressed the laughter that threatened to escape. "Uh yeah, I'm going, relax would you?" He swiveled around quickly on his feet and waltzed up the steps. "Come on."

Castiel followed. "Where is your parental unit?"

"My parental what?"

"Your parents?"

"They're out of town with my little brother. They'll be back Monday night."

"Then I'll stay with you."

"You don't have to do that. I said I'm fine."

"We don't know that for sure. I still insist that you let me take you to the hospital but I can see that's not an option. So I will stay to assist you." He smiled softly. "I won't leave your side until Monday night."

Dean sighed as he walked into his bedroom. "Man, you're really killing my vibe. It's cool. If letting you _'watch over me'_ will shut you up, then yes. Please stay."

"Very well." He would feel terrible if he left and something happened to Dean but he was happy to hear the approval of his visit nonetheless.

Dean pulled off his shirt and tossed it on the end of his bed. He wasn't particularly sleepy, but he wasn't wide awake either. He moved over to his drawer and pulled out a red shirt then pulled it over his head. "Here," he tossed Castiel a shirt and a pair of sweatpants. "You gotta sleep in something."

"Oh, thank you, Dean."

"So, where are you from?"

"Pontiac, Illinois."

"Illinois? Why come to Kansas?"

"My mother had a better job opportunity here."

"Ah, I see." He worked off the jeans he wore and tossed those on top of his shirt. "Lawrence is a nice town a few dipshits but overall it’s great." Granted he couldn't wait until he could high tail his ass out of Kansas.

"It's interesting that you're speaking the truth but you don't mean it at the same time."

"Huh?"

"When you said it's great, it was the truth, but you didn't mean it. Has something happened?"

What the hell was up with this guy? It was like he was seeing right through his jokey facade. It pissed him off but at the same time caught his interest. He bit his lip and shook his head. "Nothing happened..."

Castiel knew the other was lying but he wouldn't pry. "I'm sorry."

Dean ignored him in favor of flopping down onto his bed. "Don't apologize. You didn't do anything wrong." He said dryly. He didn't like how the conversation was going so he changed it. It was getting too close to home. "Did your parents know you had some strange guy in your room and in your bed?" He said with a soft laugh.

"No. They are not home at the moment."

"Too bad." He looked at the teen standing in front of his bed. "You gonna get dressed or stand there all night?" He pointed to the door on their right. "Bathroom's over there."

He nodded and walked over to the bathroom door. He wasn't as comfortable with undressing in front of him like Dean was.

* * *

After changing he returned to the bedroom and looked at Dean who was now looking at something on his phone. "They've been looking for me. I can't believe those bastards left me there." He murmured while rolling his eyes. Well technically they didn't leave him since Castiel found him.

Castiel placed his folded clothes on the bed next to Dean’s and sat down next to the other teen. The silence was not bliss; it was more of an awkward feeling in the air.

Dean put down his phone and glanced up at Castiel. “You know staring at me won’t start a conversation." He teased. He tossed one of the pillows at his new neighbor and grinned. He was good at putting on a straight happy face but things were falling apart in his life. He slid down so he was lying on his back then spoke again. “I want you to leave before my family gets home, Castiel.” He wasn’t looking forward to Monday night since his father would be upset for not receiving a call from Dean like usual. He wasn’t trying to sound mean; he was actually trying to protect Castiel. Dean didn’t bring anyone to the house when his father was home. It would never end well.

Castiel just nodded. From the look on Dean’s face he decided not to ask why. “I understand.” He watched as Dean got comfortable and slid under the comforter. He wondered about him. He just met him but sensed something was wrong. Dean seemed nice but withdrawn and guarded, fragile even. “May I ask a question?”

“Depends on what it’s about.”

“It’s about you.”

“I guess…go ahead.” He wasn’t sure what Castiel had on his mind but he figured he could give it a shot with an answer.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I said I’m fine, remember? Nothing hurts.”

“What about your heart?”

Dean froze and thanked the heavens that he was under the cover. It cloaked his face and in some sense he felt it hid his emotions, protected him even. Why was this guy that he had known for a little under a day breaking down his walls? Dean had himself surrounded with walls of armor but it was flawed, he had damaged armor that could only be used for show.

It seemed like centuries had passed with the silence settling in once again. How was he to answer that question? How was he to react? No one ever addressed the issue. No one was ever really worried about him since they didn’t know something was wrong. Dean hid his problems well because he didn’t want to burden anyone. He figured it would be weak to ask for help and reach out for someone. He hated depending on others because he ended up getting crushed in the end. Pretending became easier and easier to handle compared to dealing with his problems alone. He thought if he faked it he would make it through the rough patches.

Unfortunately, he was terribly wrong and became damaged and destructive.

He was too far in to turn back.


	3. Lord, Where Has My Angel Gone?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm drowning, he whispered each time his heart shatters. Dean is sinking and he feels there is no one there to save him. His father doesn't help his mentality but soon things come to a close.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Important Warning: This story is very emotional, it involves intense suicidal themes and attempts as well as verbal abuse. This is just a warning because I don't want to trigger anyone in any way.

Dean stayed under the covers, frozen with shock and amazement. Castiel tore down his barriers that he took years building with ease and it made him feel exposed. He was put on the spot and didn't know how to handle it. Frankly, he never had to worry about people getting that close to his problems so he didn't have a plan to avoid being questioned.   
   
"Dude seriously, I said I'm fine. Nothing hurts, not even my heart. Why does something have to be wrong?"

"Because you're shaking."  
   
"..." He didn't even notice. How long exactly had he been shaking? "I'm cold." He lied. That's all he could think of. He wasn't about to confess everything to someone that he honestly didn't know much about. "That's all it is, alright?"

Castiel stared down at the hidden figure underneath the blanket. Dean was a bad liar. "How has no one noticed how damaged you are?"  
   
Dean's eyes shot open and he felt his chest tighten. Yeah he knew it was true, hell, he called himself damaged all the time but to hear it out loud from someone else had an entirely different effect on him. Was it really that obvious? Did anyone else know? The sadness he felt soon subsided and boiled down to a thick numbness. He could feel the side of his face growing moist against the pillow. Great, he was crying now; another problem that weighed him down.   
   
"Maybe talking...wasn't a great idea. I think you should head home now. I'm fine really and seriously, thanks for everything, man."  
   
Castiel kept his eyes on Dean for a moment before standing from the bed. "Of course." He replied, still polite but more so worried about Dean's well-being. Working his way over to the bedroom door he spoke again. "Pretending nothing is wrong will end up killing you, Dean. And pushing people away will keep you isolated. Regardless, if you need me, I'm only across the street." He understood that Dean was iffy about the situation since they just met but they wouldn't remain acquaintances forever. Sooner or later they'd talk. "Goodnight, Dean." He closed the door and immediately exited the house.   
   
Castiel was something special. He could read people like an open book on display within five minutes of meeting them. He paid attention to body language and expressions that were hidden. He saw beyond what people _wanted_ to show; he saw the truth.   
   
Dean waited a few moments before sitting up. He wiped at his wet eyes and crawled out of bed. He didn't hear anything downstairs so he was for sure that Castiel was gone now. Then again the guy was eerily quiet with his movements.   
   
Making it to the front door he peaked through the peep hole and scanned for Castiel. To his surprise, he saw the other teen standing on the porch across the street, looking right back at the house. "Shit, he has my clothes...SHIT! I have his..." He knew that meant that Castiel would come back eventually.  
   
He decided to move away from the door because he felt like Castiel was looking directly at him. The guy was creepy sometimes. "Nothing I can do about it now, I guess." Dean muttered to himself, making his way back upstairs to his room. He didn’t even bother locking the door. He would deal with Castiel when the time came; which might be sooner than Dean expected.   
   
Dean threw himself back down onto his bed, scooping his phone up in the process. He cursed under his breath when he saw he had a missed call from Sam and 5 from his father.   
   
Of course he called Sam back first.  
   
"Dean! Where have you been!? Dad's been calling you for two days and he's pissed." He whispered into the phone so his father wouldn’t hear him. He wanted to warn Dean because he hated when John lost control. That only meant that Dean would get the short end of the stick.  
   
"I didn't have my phone. I got so drunk Friday and damn, he's going to kill me isn't he?" He laughed half- halfheartedly and shook his head. "Is he awake? I'm gonna call him." He might as well get it over with now.   
   
"You should wait."  
   
"Nah, might as well get it over with. I'll talk to you tomorrow, Sammy."  
   
"...alright. Goodnight, Dean."  
   
Dean hung up and stared down at the screen for the longest before clicking the call button on his father's contact.   
   
Let the train wreck begin.

* * *

The phone call was great and left Dean with a grin on his face. That was his story and he was sticking to it. In reality, John did his worse over the phone. Granted it went better than it would have in person. Still, in Dean's case, words cut him deeper than physical contact.   
   
 _Why aren't you like your brother? He asks. Why are you different? He insults. Can't you be smarter, more enthusiastic about life? Why are you so fucking useless? You're pathetic! You had one thing to do, call me and let me know where you are. It’s been two days, Dean. All you needed to do was call. Is that so hard? A monkey could follow directions better than you. I can't talk with you right now! I'll deal with you when I get home!_

Yeah, that was the nicer of the comments coming from his father and yes that was the threat. It wasn’t said, but he knew his father would hold his end of the deal. Of course John Winchester wouldn’t pass up an opportunity to lash out all of his frustrations.   
   
"Love you too, dad." He whispered sarcastically as the other end of the line went dead.   
   
" _If you'd like to make a call, please hang up and try again_."   
   
He ended his end of the call and dropped his phone on the floor. That damn headache had returned. His chest felt tight and his breathing grew shallow. "Fuck." He ran shaky fingers through his hair and laughed numbly. How much more could he take? He wished his father knew that he would never be like Sam. Dean was different and that was it, he was proud of how he was so why couldn't his father be just as proud? He didn't want to be like anyone else but he still had tiny thoughts that always remained in his head. If he was like Sam, would his father finally love him?  
   
He pushed up off the bed and went into the bathroom then opened the medicine cabinet. He needed something for his headache before it grew worse. After years from learning first hand of his father's anger, he knew what to expect. That honestly only made it worse. He dreaded for Monday night but for now, he'd take something to help him stay asleep. That way he wouldn't stay up all night thinking; thinking was the worst part. He grabbed a pill bottle and twisted the cap before dumping a few pills into his hand then putting the bottle back in the cabinet. "I still have Sunday to enjoy." He murmured to himself as he popped four pills into his mouth- or maybe more. "I won't think about it. It'll be fine. I'm fine." He drank some water to help wash it down then leaned up against the door. "I'm not fine." He admitted softly, sliding down the wooden door until he was seated on the floor. How come he couldn't admit that to someone else?

* * *

The last thing he remembered was sitting on the floor in his bathroom. He was tired of these random situations that had him losing time. A feeling of coldness washed over him and he once again felt arms around him. It was just like before. With a groan he clung to the person holding him. He couldn't breathe. Things were finally piecing together; he heard the shower and a voice whispering softly to him.  
   
"Dean, I need you to tell me what you took."  
   
Dean shrugged and closed his eyes. The voice sounded muddy, he could barely hear the sentence. How did this happen again?  
   
Castiel turned the cool water off and wrapped a towel around Dean. He was positioned behind the teen, holding him up in the tub. "The ambulance is here, you are going to be fine." He whispered to Dean.   
   
Dean heard more voices and footsteps enter the bathroom and hands gripping him tightly. He just wanted to sleep; he wasn’t intending for something like that to happen. Or was he?  
   
Luckily, Castiel was his savior once again.


	4. Barriers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean's been rushed to the hospital and reveals some things to Castiel that he didn't intend to. Castiel is getting deeper to the root of the problem and hopes that he can relieve Dean of some of the stress.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comment and let me know how you guys are liking the story so far and what you hope/expect to see in the next chapter!!!

It was actually around 6 o'clock AM when Dean woke up which was too early for Dean's tastes. He didn't usually get up until around noon on the weekends. He was enjoying the scenery though since it kept his mind off of other things. The sky looked muddy and dim, dangerous even. It made the hospital room seem darker than it actually was. He watched the clouds rush past the building as the room remained in silence. They were puffy and dark, a storm was obviously near.

The troubled teen rested there in the hospital bed, eyes dead and heart torn. He was lost and it clearly showed. His father was abusive, his mother had no clue, and both parents consider him an outcast in comparison to Sam. He was the trouble child after all, always in some kind of trouble in their eyes. His social life was pointless because he didn't have any meaningful relationships. Yeah there was Jo and Garth but they had no clue what was really going on with him. He had no one to confide in so his anger and pain built up and he had to release it somehow. To make matters worse, Dean was developing a bad drinking problem and Gordon was trying to get him into drugs.

His life was in shambles and somehow out of all the people he knew, this one particular guy that he just met understood him. This one random guy broke down his barriers and saw him suffering in silence. He found himself smiling because the new kid was becoming something constant in his life. Castiel didn't leave him or hurt him but he still wanted him to stay away as precaution. There was always a possibility that Castiel would turn out to be like the others.

Dean knew he should talk to someone about his anxieties and problems but he couldn't bring himself to do it. They would label him and that scared him more than he liked to admit. Dean was convinced that the overdose was an accident but deep down he knew he meant for it to happen. He wondered what would have been the outcome if Castiel didn't show up. Would he really have died?

At the point he was at now, he didn't care about keeping the facade going about being okay. He gave up with hiding once he took those pills. That part of his life was out in the open now. With a dry laugh he finally spoke to Castiel who had been there since he regained consciousness. His voice was calm and soft to the ear. "You can't save me so why don't you leave me the fuck alone. Play savior with someone else because sometimes it's okay to let go. I tried to end it for a reason…" Dean was not having a great start to his Sunday.

"Is that what you think I'm doing, what you think should happen? Just letting go and hoping everything will turn out alright. I'm sorry Dean but when I pulled over on the road and helped you the first time I became involved and made a dedication to you. I'm not walking out now because things are grim and dark. I'm sticking with you and you'll have to deal with that." He glanced at those bright green eyes and added on to his statement. "And I found you for a reason, Dean."

Dean glanced away. Wow, he was not expecting him to say that. "Concerned little fucker..." He grumbled under his breath, not arguing with Castiel. For once in his life someone gave a damn about him enough to scold him. That had never happened before, not even with his brother Sam.

"I'm going to get you better and you will make it through this. Understood? I'm not going anywhere, Dean." He said softly, fixing Dean's pillow. He wasn't always so stern but this was a special occasion. It was good for Dean. He needed it.

There was a light knock on the door and both of the boys turned their attention to it. "Mr. Winchester, we need a contact number to reach your parents." The nurse asked. Before Dean could answer Castiel stood and spoke for him.

"That won't be necessary. I've contacted his parental unit and they have given me permission to stay with him until he's released. He'll be coming home with me. I took care of the paperwork last night when we arrived."

"Very well. Sorry to have disturbed you two."

Dean stared at him for a moment because this type of affection was new to him. Having someone looking out for him felt...nice. "Thank you." The last thing he needed was his father finding out about the attempt. John would go nuts.

Castiel sat down on the edge of the bed besides Dean and smiled. When he was unresponsive and the medical team brought him back in the ambulance, he heard the things that he muttered. The comments were mostly about father issues so he connected the dots and pieced together that Dean didn't need to be around his family for the time being. So he would bring him home once Dean was released. "I won't tell your parents about this if that's what you want." He didn't know Dean's parents but there was obviously a reason why he didn't hear about them. Regardless, he would tell his own parents since Dean would be there until further notice. He wanted to make sure Dean had more than just one person.

Dean appreciated what the guy was doing but his mind was conditioned, it had been for years. So he assumed Castiel being like this wouldn't last for long. So he'd make the best of it while it lasted. "Castiel?"

The young man looked down at Dean to answer but before he could speak his lips were locked with Dean's.

Dean had sat up with one hand kneading Castiel's thigh while his free arm draped over and around his shoulders. "You know, you're annoying for barging into my life like this and fucking screwing with my head. I was semi-fine until you started asking questions. Why are you even doing this? You don't know me; I don't deserve your time. I'm a waste of your energy." He pulled Castiel closer and laughed dryly. What was he doing? He felt so lost and Castiel was opening up doors that he didn't particularly want to open. He didn't know how to handle this so he did the next best thing; he kissed him again.

He ghosted his hand up his classmate's thigh and deepened the kiss. Dean pulled Castiel further onto the bed to where he was almost in his lap. "Can't you just understand I've accepted being damaged?" He closed his eyes and rested his head on Castiel's shoulder, his tears starting to stain the teen's shirt.

Castiel didn't push away Dean's advances because he knew what was happening. He just brought his arms up to Dean's shoulders and hugged him. "I upset you. Don't I?" He asked softly.

Dean laughed again, quietly nodded. "You piss me off. How in the hell can you just come from out of nowhere and invade my life like this. It… fucking hurts." He nearly choked out the last part.

Castiel managed to get Dean to open up and admit some of the feelings he was having. It would be good for him because holding it in obviously wasn't helping him. He pulled away some and pushed hair from the others teen's face. "How does that feel? How does it feel to say it out loud?"

He grabbed at his chest and ignored the question. It was still painful and as each second that passed he regretted dropping his facade. He didn't like talking about it.

He broke their contact completely and took Dean's hand. "I'll go ask the nurse the earliest we can get you out of here. I'm sure this setting isn't helping you one bit." He stood from the bed and Dean shot a hand out and grabbed his wrist. Castiel glanced back at him with concern. "Yes?"

"You're comin' back, right?" He asked, trying to keep his voice from fading out.

Castiel smiled. "Of course, just relax."

He was worried he had just run the teen away with his actions. It wasn't clear if that's what Dean really wanted or if it was a test. Either way, he wanted Castiel to stay.

* * *

Castiel's parents arrived shortly after he left Dean's rooms. They spoke to the doctor and received the details of Dean's situation. Soon, they signed the release papers and got the boy to the car.

The car ride back home was long and quiet, well to Dean it was at least. No one was talking and the tension could be cut with a knife. They didn't question Dean because Castiel made them promise not to. That wouldn't help him. When they pulled up to the house, Dean glanced across the street at his house and tried not to relive the night before. Some of the anxiety exited him when he felt Castiel's hand over his own. He tore his gaze from the window and looked at him. He parted his lips to speak but nothing came out.

"Alright, we're here. Castiel, why don't you take Dean up to your room, we'll get the guest room set up for him."

"Yes, mother." He unbuckled his seat belt exited the car but only seconds later opened Dean's door. He helped him out and took his hand. "I'm going to watch over you."

That was pretty much the last thing Dean remembered Castiel saying.

* * *

 ** _Two months later_** -

Dean stood in the hallway in front of his locker tossing a few books in there so he could head home. When he felt a hand on his shoulder he sighed. "Gordon I already told you a thousand times, I'm not going out with you guys tonight, I'm-" He turned around and locked eyed on Castiel. "Cas, hey." He smiled. "You ready to head out?" Since the incident he and Castiel had been spending a lot of time together. They even started driving each other to school. Today was Dean's day so they took the impala.

"Yes." He backed up some since he was standing only inches away from the other. Surprisingly, Dean was used to it now and didn't mind really.

"Here." He tossed his keys to him and closed his locker. "You're driving." With a grin he tossed the strap of his bag over his shoulder and patted Castiel on the back. He didn't let just anyone drive his car so that meant something. "Let's go, feathers."

Castiel sighed at the nickname. "Dean, when will you forget about that?"

"Mmm maybe when I'm old and gray, that's a possibility." A few weeks ago they were at Castiel's house working on a project and somehow Castiel managed to make a bag of feather explode. Long story short, Castiel looked like a giant bird.

The boys headed out to the impala, discussing their homework for tomorrow. "My father is having a gathering for a project for his job. I'm supposed to find a friend to stay with for the night."

Dean blurted out an answer before even thinking it over. "Consider it done, you'll stay with me." He hadn't even considered the fact that he managed to keep his father and Castiel from meeting.

"Are you sure?" He questioned. He didn't want to cause any problems.

"Yeah." It would be fine right? Castiel had been really good to him. Dean was finally in a good place. It wasn't perfect and he still had ways to go but Castiel had brought him a long way. "Positive. It'll be nice to have you around the house." Sliding into the passenger's seat he glanced out the window. "Come on, grandpa, before I'm 50." He teased.

Castiel rolled his eyes and slid behind the wheel after tossing his backpack into Dean's lap. "Don't rush the elderly. "

Dean laughed and shook his head. He noticed that Castiel had loosened up as the time went by. His actions and speech changed when they were together. They joked around a lot with each other even though Dean had to explain most of it to him. Still, he enjoyed Castiel's company.

* * *

Castiel parked in the driveway and turned the engine off. They sat in the car for the longest before Dean started laughing.

"Why are you laughing? I don't understand."

"You're going to be spending the night with me."

"Okay?"

Dean took off his seatbelt and reached over to Castiel and pulled him close. "Don't you remember that last time this happened?"

Castiel flushed and shook his head. "No."

"Exactly. I've been trying to keep this from happening."

Castiel assumed it was because of what happened at the hospital two months ago since they were so close at the moment. So he didn't consider it being another reason. "It's okay."

"You don't get it." He had Castiel over plenty of times but his father was usually gone and he made sure they never crossed paths. This time he would be spending the night. "Don't worry about it." He released Castiel's shirt and got out of the car. "Go get your clothes and shit and come back. We need to get started on this homework."

Castiel nodded. "Alright." He exited the car as well and tossed the keys back to Dean. "I'll be back soon."

* * *

Dean walked through the door and was greeted by Sam. "What's up, short stuff?"

Sam smiled and ran over to Dean. "You're back, finally! Guess what?"

"What?"

"I'm headed to Canada in 10 minutes!"

"Canada? Mind if I ask why?"

"The chemistry competition week is there. My class is going."

"Gotcha, that's cool."

He was happy that he was going but he wasn't feeling okay about Dean staying home with their father. It worried him. "Are you going to be okay?"

Dean placed his hand on Sam's shoulder and smiled. "Sam, I'm great. You focus on your dorkathon. Okay?"

"Chemistry!" He laughed.

"Whatever, you just stay focused. I'll even call you just so you know I'm good. Deal?"

"Deal." He held up his fist to Dean.

Dean smirked because they hadn't done that in a while. He bumped their first together and they both made low explosion noises. "Where's mom?"

"Upstairs."

He nodded and headed up there.

* * *

After explaining to her about why Castiel needed to stay with them she agreed and had no problem with it. He knew it'd be better if he asked her because she could talk John into anything and no trouble would be started. He learned that the hard way.

When the doorbell rang Sam made it to the door before Dean did. The younger Winchester greeted him and let him in. "You're Castiel right?" He inquired.

"Yes, and you're Sam I assume." He smiled and extended his hand. "I've heard a lot about you."

"Really?"

"Yes, Dean talks about you all the time—"

"Don't tell him that. His ego is already big enough." He teased, grabbing Castiel's wrist and dragging him upstairs.

Sam just blinked. "It was nice meeting you!" He shouted as Dean dragged Castiel away.

"Likewise!"

Dean closed the bedroom door once up there and sighed. "I just saved you from about 20 minutes of a periodic table breakdown."

"Chemistry is fascinating."

"Of course you'd think that." He smirked and flopped down on his bed. "So, what do you want to work on first?" Dean asked.

"You." He answered.


	5. We're Crashing, But We're Not Waves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Castiel and Dean are taking a new step in their friendship and Dean is surprised by what he's learning about Castiel. Later, things take a turn for the worst.

Dean and Castiel were both lying back on the bed in silence and staring at the ceiling. Oh what a turn of events. "You're ridiculous, man, you know that?" Dean whispered under his breath. That was the cheesiest pickup line he had ever heard. “You want to work on me? That could so be taken out of context.” 

Castiel had spent more than enough time with Dean to realize that he liked him. He didn't act on those feelings until now because he wanted to help Dean get in a better place mentally. He didn't want to take advantage of him directly or indirectly. Now he felt that he could do it. He honestly cared for Dean and that's all that really mattered. "I don't understand. What’s ridiculous?"

Dean closed his eyes and spoke softly to the other teen. He had a smile plastered on his face. "It doesn't matter, Cas."

"It does." 

They both went quiet for a moment before the sound of a creaking bed filled the room. Dean felt the shift on the bed and figured Castiel was getting up to leave. Had he offended him somehow? He instantly started reevaluating everything that he had said to Castiel. "Look, man, I'm—" his speech was cut short by soft lips pressing against his own, it was sensual and meaningful. His eyes opened and found his friend hovering over him. He felt cold fingertips ghosting up his sides and he was convinced that his heart was going to pound right out of his chest. Damn. How did Castiel manage to do that? He made Dean weak in all the right ways. 

"C-Cas." He murmured against the teen's lips. "This is not how we do homework." He brought his hand up to Castiel's back and pulled him down closer and deepened the kiss. 

Castiel was a few shades of shy but with Dean that all went out the window. Being around Dean encouraged him to step out of his shell and take a few risks. It was worth it when it came to Dean. 

He laughed softly at Dean's comment but that didn't distract him from his task at hand; stripping him of his clothes. He found himself straddling his friend and unbuttoning the plaid shirt he wore. 

This was really happening. Dean couldn't believe it but he was definitely not against it. "Wait, hang on. Uh let me scoot back and um—" He motioned for Castiel to sit up some. Once his back was against the headboard, he reached his hand out to Castiel's shirt and grinned, pulling it off with ease.

Castiel wasted no time in capturing his lips once again. Things weren't moving too fast were they? No. He wanted this and obviously so did Dean. He pushed the plaid shirt off of Dean's shoulders and took in the feel of his skin. "You know, you don't have to do this if you don't want to. We can stop."

"What the fuck, man? That came out of nowhere." Dean muttered. There was no chance in hell that he wanted to stop.

"I'm sorry, Dean. I just—I um don’t want you to feel obligated to sleep with me." He also wanted to make sure he wasn't moving too fast. "Should I keep going?" He asked. Since he initiated the advance he wasn’t sure if they were even on the same page.

"Well fuck yeah, man." He answered, cheeks a bit flushed. Castiel was still always looking out for him and he loved that. In all truths, the affection and concern he received from Castiel was a turn on. It was something new that he wasn’t used to.

Castiel nodded and brought a hand to the zipper on Dean's jeans and pulled it down. He may have been quiet and kept to himself but he was no virgin, he knew exactly what he was doing. Gripping the rim of Dean’s pants he slowly pulled them down and watched Dean kick them off the rest of the way. “Well someone’s excited.” He teased referring to the bulge that was hidden by the fabric of Dean’s boxers. This would officially mark the second time that he saw Dean naked but now it was on completely different terms. As he slid back up his body he left soft kisses and nips on Dean’s hip and stomach. Once he reached his mouth again he kissed him deeply.

Dean groaned quietly into the mouth attached to his. He was more excited than he should have been but could anyone blame him? He had an attractive guy on top of him ripping clothes off. Castiel was being so forward and it was turning him on. Feeling the effects of pent up frustration, he smirked and gripped Castiel’s hip then swiftly flipped them over. Now he was on top and had the upper hand.

Castiel grinned and stared up at him before placing his hands on Dean’s hips. Oh this was going to be a battle for dominance.

“You’re too hot for your own good.” Dean commented before biting Castiel’s lip then nipping at his neck. Little did he know, but Castiel had his own plans. “Ahh— fuck, Cas.” He moaned as he felt fingers slip along the loose fabric and purposely tease his growing erection. “S-shit.”

Castiel smiled when he realized that Dean was gliding down his body. Before he knew it, the Winchester boy had his pants down to his ankles. Oops, then went the boxers. He brought his shaky fingers up and threaded it through Dean’s hair in anticipation. Oh his body felt so wonderful and he couldn’t remember how many times he had imagined this happening in his mind. There were so many innuendos that occurred between them that it had started to drive him insane.  

“Looks like I got you naked first.” Dean whispered, lips pressed against Castiel’s hip bone.

“O-only because you flipped positions. A few more minutes and I would ha-aah!” His lips parted even more and he threw his head back in pleasure. Dean was playing unfairly.

Dean knew just how to silence his friend and there was more to _come_. He himself parted his lips and engulfed Castiel inch by inch just to make the teen squirm.

Castiel clutched the bedding within his free hand and tugged lightly at his friend’s hair with the other. With the slow bobbing of Dean’s head a soft moan slipped past his rose colored lips and his hips bucked in a slow motion. “D-Dean…you’re—“

“DEAN!” His mother called from down stairs ruining the moment they had going. That was an unexpected cock block.

The boys jolted up and Dean cursed under his breath. “Are you kidding me…?” He groaned. He had completely forgotten that there were still people in the house with them. Shit, what if they had of walked in on them? “Son of a bitch.” He heard footsteps coming up the stairs and he quickly scrambled with his clothes. “Get dressed, quick.” He tossed Castiel his clothes and motioned for him to go into the bathroom. Dean on the other hand slipped his jeans back on and grabbed a t-shirt from his chair instead of wrestling with the button up.

Castiel entered the bathroom just in time because Mary opened the door right when Castiel shut the other. “I need your help loading things into the truck. Bring your friend too, he can help.” She said with a smile. “We’re running so late. We were supposed to be gone 20 minutes ago.”

“Um okay, he’s uh, using the bathroom but we’ll be down in a second.”

Mary nodded but stared at him for a moment before questioning him. “Sweetheart, are you okay? You’re a bit red. Are you feeling alright?” She asked.

He bit his lip and just nodded. “Yeah I’m good, peachy actually, really peachy.”

“Alright, don’t take too long okay?” She replied with a skeptical look on her face.

“Mhm.” He watched his mother exit the room and run back down the stairs. He sighed in relief because that was too close from comfort. Getting caught blowing a guy by his mother was not on a list of things he wanted to happen. “She’s gone, Cas.”

Castiel peeked out first before coming out of the bathroom. He fixed his shirt and joined Dean on the foot of the bed. “I’m really sorry, Dean.”

Dean just laughed. “Yeah because you totally made my mother interrupt us. Don’t be stupid. This isn’t your fault.” He reached over and yanked Castiel by his collar into a kiss before standing. “Put your shoes on, my mom wants our help loading the car with Sammy’s dorkathon stuff.”

Castiel nodded. “Okay.”

* * *

They finished packing the car up and waved them off as they headed down the street. Dean wished his brother good luck with the competition and headed back inside with Castiel. He was hoping to finish where they left off but he knew they should probably get their homework done first. “Are you hungry?” He asked, walking into the kitchen. He felt slightly awkward because they were almost close to doing something they never done together and he wasn’t sure how to address it. “Because um this elephant in the room is—“

Castiel silenced him with a kiss. He placed his hands on Dean’s waist and pushed him up against the counter and smiled. “You’re worse than me.”

“I beg to differ. You’re weird and awkward. I like to think of myself as badass and adorable.”

Castiel laughed softly against Dean’s lips and bit him. “I can see why you chose those two.”

“And don’t forget my charming personality that consists of, ‘ _I don’t give a fuck_ ’ and “ _keep your sons and daughters away from me because I’m a wreck’_.”

Castiel looked at Dean sadly and hugged him. He hated when Dean talked like that because it was so accurate at times. He often wondered if that was another one of Dean’s ways of venting. He had seen some of Dean’s darkest moments but there was still a lot that he knew nothing about. He suddenly started to feel trapped because he wanted to ask Dean if something happened recently but he didn’t want to make him sad or upset.

Dean mentally slapped himself because he didn’t mean to say that. Sometimes thoughts like those just slipped out with no filter. Dean understood that he had the tendency to push people away and sometimes he would subconsciously do or say things to push Castiel away but it never worked. “I didn’t mean that.” He said, relaxing in Castiel’s arms.

“Liar, still a very bad liar you are.”

Dean just shrugged his shoulders and pulled away. “Let’s eat then get back to our homework. Okay?”

Castiel nodded in agreement. He had other things in mind but the mood had officially been ruined.

* * *

Things were only going to get worse because John had pulled into the driveway minutes after the boys took food to Dean’s room. It could only go downhill from there. John wasn’t too fond of the friends that Dean had because he knew most of them were bad influences. Of course there was still the fact that he didn’t know Castiel or even met him so things could still go smoothly, right? **Wrong**. John always found a reason to dislike Dean’s friends and always found a reason to criticize Dean.

Dean was riding on that his father would be working late but he knew John couldn’t pass up them being home alone together. He worried about having Castiel there. He could deal with John’s anger when they were alone but having someone that he cared about around was another story. He wouldn’t be able to focus knowing that he would potentially be putting Castiel in danger. He would have liked it better if John and Castiel would never meet but that was out of the question. If only he knew what was awaiting them.


	6. It's Spiraling Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Intimate moments between Dean and Castiel seem impossible to be completed but they aren't giving up just yet. Meanwhile, John Winchester finally makes it home and things are put to the test.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Due to popular demand, I updated this fic really early! So I hope you all like it! c: Let me know what you think.

Castiel was lying across the bed with his head on Dean's legs and his own legs pulled up so he could support his notebook. He glanced over the next few questions and spoke. "Where are you at now?" He asked, scribbling down a few answers on the paper.

"The last two questions." Dean answered softly.

"Really?"

Dean nodded and smiled. "Yeah." Since his attachment to Castiel began his grades actually improved. Of course that wasn't good enough for his father but the usual C and D student was now earning C's and B's. He found more enthusiasm to learn since he now had someone in his corner cheering him on and supporting him. He didn't know how he lived without Castiel before. "What about you?"

"4 more to go." He answered. He would have been done already if he wasn't so distracted by Dean. He'd catch himself staring, admiring Dean's beautiful face. It was hard to focus sometimes.

"Not to toot my own horn but, toot toot~"

Castiel laughed and finished off the remaining questions then closed his book. He stared at the tag on Dean's shirt for the longest before actually speaking. "Hey, Dean?" He murmured softly as he rolled over onto his stomach.

"Yeah?"

"I'm so proud of you."

Dean looked up from his notebook, his cheeks taking on a tinged crimson color. "Uh, what?"

"Your work has improved greatly and I often catch you smiling while working. It's just great to see that." He smiled and started to toy with the tag on Dean's shirt. He liked seeing Dean care about his studies and life in general.

Dean knew the main reason he even tried was because he wanted to appeal to Castiel, but once he started working harder he realized it wasn't as bad as before. Also having someone constantly telling him that he was smart and wonderful helped a lot.

"Dean you're so wonderful..." He drawled in a soft tone as he brought his gaze up to Dean.

Castiel must have been reading his mind because what were the odds? He smiled and put his name on his homework then closed the book. "T-thank you." He looked away because all of a sudden he began to feel nervous. Dean Winchester didn't get flustered but Castiel had a certain effect on him that changed a few of his traits.

"Please don't thank me," he said as he pushed up until he was positioned on his knees. "I just felt you should know that." He reached out and turned Dean's head so they were facing one another. He took notice of the flushed cheeks and smiled. He honestly loved moments like that, moments that he wouldn't ever forget. "It is only facts, Dean." He slowly closed the space between them and kissed his friend gently on the lips. It wasn't intense, just soft, quick, and simple. He mainly just wanted a reminder of how Dean's lips felt against his own but he had ulterior motives too that included making Dean blush. The warmth against those familiar lips made his stomach tighten. Self-control was not an option now.

Dean brought his hand up to Castiel's cheek and deepened the kiss. He pushed his notebook aside and shifted to his knees as well. After wrapping his arms around Castiel's waist he pulled him closer. "You're such a jerk." His lips dropped to Castiel's jaw then down to his neck.

Castiel tilted his head some to give Dean more access. He was hoping they could continue where they left off earlier but he spoke too soon.

Before he could even enjoy Castiel's reactions he heard his name echo throughout the house. It was like a train crash unraveling within him. The deep voice was all too familiar and sent chills down his spine. He glanced at Castiel and smiled softly. "Stay in here, okay? I mean it. No matter what don't leave the room until I call you."

Castiel nodded and watched Dean exit the bedroom. Beyond Dean's smile was anger, sadness, and anxiety all rolled into one mess of emotion. He wasn't sure if he could just sit and do nothing but he would try.

* * *

"Dad, you're home early." He commented and he walked down the steps, spotting his father at the front door.

"Yeah, your mother called me and said you had a friend over. I don't exactly trust your friends so I didn't want you two home alone." He had been home for a while actually but sat in the car for most of the time.

Dean rolled his eyes and nodded. "I see." He stopped at the bottom of the staircase and held on tightly to the rail.

"Well?"

"What?"

"Where is he?"

"He's doing homework." Dean wanted them to avoid being in the same room at all costs.

"And he doesn't have the decency to come greet your parents?"

"Dad, it's not that big of a deal. He can meet you later."

John glared at him. "Your smart mouth is not going to help you."

"I didn't mean for it-" his father grabbed him by the collar and slammed him up against the wall.

"Talking back too? What is this boy teaching you?"

Dean felt more aggressive because Castiel was involved so he knew the situation was going to get worse. Thankfully Dean didn't push his father away. He didn't want to get in a fight with him while his friend was upstairs. "I'm sorry."

"Hey Dean, I am truly sorry! That was incredibly rude of me. I am a guest in your home and didn't greet your father." He waltzed down the steps and saw John back away from Dean. "Mr. Winchester, I'm Castiel, it's nice to finally meet you." He said as he extended his hand to the man.

John narrowed his eyes and shook Castiel's hand. "I suppose." He glanced at Dean then smirked.

Dean somehow found himself standing in front of Castiel to physically shield him from any kind of mental abuse his father would dish out.

"So, are you another one of Dean's delinquent buddies?" The man snorted. "Of course you are. Why did I even bother asking? So, what's your drug of choice? Or are you a drinker? I hope you didn't plan to continue your pathetic lifestyle here-"

"Dad! He's not like that!" He shouted. He despised that his father assumed he was like his friends and accused Castiel of doing drugs and alcohol. That wasn't fair.

John narrowed his eyes and stepped closer. "Did I ask you for your opinion?" He asked as he shoved past Dean, purposely knocking into him and forcing him to stumble back a bit. He was pissed because Castiel was there and made it difficult to express his anger towards Dean. He did not want any witnesses. "I'm going to bed. Don't make any noise."

Dean watched his father make his way down the hall to his room then heard the door slam. Once the close was clear he sighed in relief. "Damn it, Cas. I told you to stay in the fucking room!" He pushed past his friend and returned to his room upstairs. He was lashing out at Castiel but only because he was worried about him. He feared for his well-being. He knew what his dad was capable of but he didn't know if he would hurt Castiel or not and he didn't want to risk it.

Castiel followed Dean and apologized nearly 30 times on the way. "I was concerned for you."

"Whatever. What's done is done, can't be helped." He shoved his books on the floor and slid under his comforter. He didn't want to talk about it anymore.

"It's 5:06pm. You can't go to bed, Dean."

"Watch me." He was upset but he would be calmer in the morning.

* * *

The next morning just as Dean predicted was calmer. He wasn't angry with Castiel anymore, just slightly upset. The fact that John didn't do his worse was a blessing because he went a night drama free and Castiel was unharmed. It was before 6am since his alarm hadn't gone off yet. He sat up regardless and glanced over to his friend who was still sleeping. Dean reached over and brushed his fingertips over Castiel's cheek and smiled. He hated to wake him up but an early start would do them good since John would still be sleeping.

"Cas, wake up."

Castiel groaned and rolled over onto his stomach. "What time is it?"

"5:30am."

"We still have another hour to sleep."

"Let's just go to school early please." He pleaded.

Castiel sat up and looked at Dean and gave in to that face instantly. "Of course." He leaned over to him and kissed his cheek. "Are we taking my car?"

Dean nodded.

"Okay." He smiled and crawled out of bed. "Let's shower then."

"Behave though." His father could walk in at any moment and that scared the living hell out of him.

"Of course I will, Dean." He wouldn't make any advances while that man was in the house. Who knew how he would react if he caught his son with another boy.

* * *

It was fairly dark in the house since the sun hadn't even come up yet so they enjoyed a little moment together. "You can leave your stuff here if you want, Cas."

"I don't want to cause any trouble with your father." He replied. "Besides, I have to retrieve my car keys anyway so I might as well take my things home."

Dean reached out and pulled Castiel closer by the shirt and nodded. "Alright~"

Castiel smiled and kissed Dean quickly on the lips before walking out the front door. "I'll be right over in a moment." He said as he ran across the street.

"Gotcha."

"So this explains why you were so upset last night." John said from the kitchen doorway.

Dean swung around and locked eyes on his father. "…how long were you standing there?" He questioned.

"Long enough."

Dean felt his heart sink down in to his stomach as his father approached him and closed the front door. He wasn't sure what to do because John wasn't saying anything. He couldn't even read his face. Was he angry, sad? Livid? He did smell alcohol beaming from his father. It was 5 in the morning, how long had his father been up drinking?

"We need to talk."

* * *

Castiel took longer than he expected but when he knocked on the door there was no answer. He kept knocking because he started to worry. After his fourth time knocking the door finally opened and there stood John.

"Yeah?"

"Um, Dean, is he ready?" He asked.

"No. He's going to drive himself to school today. Thanks for dropping by." He smiled and slammed the door in Castiel's face.

Castiel just stood there before pulling out his phone. He texted Dean to make sure he was okay.

_'Are you okay? Where are you, Dean?'_

_'I'm fine. See u at school.'_

He sighed and left the porch and did as he was told. He got into his car and headed to school.

* * *

The bell for lunch rang and Castiel was the first to leave the class. He went straight to Dean's locker to see if his books were there. They weren't but there was a chance that he was still at school.

As Castiel anxiously waited for their 4th period history class to start, he continued to text Dean.

_'I'm really worried, Dean. Please call me.'_

_'Dean, where are you?'_

_'Please be okay…'_

He was all out of options and was close to skipping the rest of school to check on Dean.

* * *

4th period ended and still no Dean. It was official, he was sure John did something to him. He was leaving school right away so he could go get Dean and he didn't care what the consequences would be. All that mattered was to make sure Dean was alive and breathing.


	7. Everlasting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few events unravel in this chapter. Starting with John's reaction to Castiel and Dean's relationship. As well with Castiel and Dean's separation/reconnection and the hint of a solution Castiel comes up with. There's a surprise with Gordon as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel it's rushed but the feedback I've gotten says it's not. xD. Comments and such are welcomed! Let me know your thoughts! The next chapter won't have so many skips I promise. c:

Dean locked himself in his bedroom then in his bathroom. Things didn't go well but it could have been worse. He pulled his phone from his pocket and was just about to call Sam but noticed the texts from Castiel. He felt horrible for ignoring him but he had no choice, so he deleted the messages then called his brother.

Sam answered in a panic. "You said you'd call last night! I thought something happened. Did dad hurt you?"

Dean laughed softly as he wiped the blood from his mouth with a wet washcloth. "Nah, he didn't touch me. I'm fine, Sammy. Like I said, you stay focus on your work, okay? I don't want you worrying about me." He smiled and tried to sound as happy as possible. The last thing he wanted was to cause trouble or stress for his brother. As long as Sam was safe and doing fine then that was all that mattered to him. 

"Good. I was freaking out. I didn't hear from you and thought of the worst case scenario, Dean. I'm just glad you're okay."

"Sorry kiddo, I'm fine really. I just called to let you know I was good." In reality he called just to hear his voice. Sam was his little brother and meant a lot to him. "I'll call you again when schools over." He wasn't at school but he couldn't bring himself to tell Sam what really happened. 

"Okay, talk to you later Dean."

He ended the call and sat his phone on the sink. He stood there looking in the mirror before opening the cabinet. He had almost forgotten that Castiel cleaned out every bottle of medication after the overdose. He huffed and closed it. He was glad because he was slowly spiraling back to his dark place. He really needed Castiel. 

Rolling his eyes he pocketed his phone and worked up the nerve to exit his room. He didn't hear anything from downstairs so he felt the close was clear.

* * *

Castiel slid into the driver’s seat of his car and headed back home. He was worried sick about Dean. He knew John was abusive even though Dean never out right admitted it so he had to get him out of that house as soon as possible. Getting impatient he just called Dean and hoped that John didn't have his phone. 

Dean was in the kitchen now and sat his phone on the counter. Soon he heard the phone buzzing then the music began to play. "Concerned little fucker..." Dean quickly hit the ignore button because he couldn't talk to him right now. It wouldn't be pretty. 

"Your fuck buddy calling you?" John criticized from the doorway.

Dean planned to ignore him but he needed more time to heal before engaging in another fight with his father. "It's not like that..."

"Then prove it. Answer the phone."

Castiel frowned and called again. "Please, Dean." He whispered to himself. He wasn't giving up so easily. 

Dean stared down at the ringing phone again and sighed. Why did his father have to be there? He finally gave in and answered the call. "Please stop calling and texting me, Castiel. I don't want to talk to you."

"...Dean I thought you were— are you okay?" He asked, a bit of relief washing over him after hearing his voice. 

"As a matter of fact, I am. Just stay the hell away from me. I don't want anything to do with you. Got it?" Without allowing Castiel to reply, John grabbed the phone and hung up. 

"Good boy. I'll see you tomorrow morning. I have to go to work." He reached out and playfully patted Dean's cheek. "Go clean yourself up. You look a mess." With that said he left the house. 

Dean could almost breathe easily now but he still had to handle a few things. For one, he had to figure out how he was going to avoid Castiel. He made a deal with his father and that involved staying away from Castiel. "Shit." If it kept him safe he would do it. He didn't want to be the reason that gets Castiel hurt but in the process he was doing it anyway.

* * *

Castiel was confused by Dean's words. What was going on? He didn't take Dean's warning to heart and still went to check up on him. After pulling into the driveway he just jumped out and ran right up to the front door. He knocked and knocked as hard as he could until the door swung open. 

"Trying to disturb the entire neighborhood?" Dean scolded. 

"Dean..." Without thinking he wrapped his arms around the teen and hugged him tightly. "I was scared."

Dean wanted nothing more than to relax into Castiel's arms and listen to him whisper comforting statements. Too bad he couldn't. He pushed the teen away and glanced off to the side. He couldn't bring himself to look him in the eyes. 

"Dean, please talk to me."

"Go. You have to go."

"What did he do to you?"

"JUST FUCKING GO!"

Castiel was startled by Dean's aggression. He saw the Winchester mad before but this was different. He didn't want to accept that this could be what Dean really wanted but he would respect his request. "If that's what you want, okay."

"It is. Now go."

He stepped closer to Dean and kissed him on the lips then planted a kiss on his forehead. "If you need me, just call and I'll be here for you."

Dean turned his back to Castiel and covered his mouth. He felt like he was going to die. His heart was aching and his eyes were starting to water. "Go...please just go." Maybe this was good for him. He hated getting so emotional over a person. Castiel was making him weak; well that's what his father thought at least. 

Castiel watched his friend before leaving the house and closing the door behind him. He got back in his car and headed back to school. There was nothing else he could do.

* * *

Back at school the time seemed to slow down to Castiel. He was withdrawn from his studies because his mind was occupied by Dean. He looked down at his phone and still saw nothing from him. He wanted to tell someone that Dean was in danger but he wasn't sure how that would turn out. Plus he wanted to get Dean out of that house first. He was confident that John was manipulating him somehow and he wanted to stop it. He'd figure out something out to help his friend.

* * *

**_Three weeks later—_ **

It felt like three months instead of three weeks. He hadn't spoken to Dean since that day he showed up at his house. Of course he saw him at school but they didn't communicate. It broke his heart and made him realize how much Dean had impacted his life as well. They had grown close so watching their friendship burn right before his eyes was painful. The last bell of the day rang and he made his way down the noisy hall while blocking out all of the screaming voices. 

Castiel spotted Dean by his locker with Jo and Garth. He didn't speak or make eye contact with Dean; he just kept walking. It pained him but he was doing what Dean asked of him. 

Dean on the other hand watched Castiel make his way down the hall. He missed him but keeping his distance was good for the both of them. The farther away he was from him the safer Castiel would be. 

"Trouble in paradise?" Jo asked. 

"Yeah are you two having a fight or something?" Garth added on. 

"Because you two were inseparable and now you guys barely even look at each other."

Dean just laughed trying to play it all off. "He was just tutoring me. We're done now."

"Ah, I see. So you aren't friends?" Jo questioned.

"Kind of." He was sure he felt his heart crack at those words. 

Jo shrugged. "Alright then. So Dean? Are you going to that thanksgiving dance?"

Dean narrowed his eyes. "Are you serious?"

She nodded. 

"I don't go to school dances, Jo." He rolled his eyes and pushed away from against the lockers and slipped on his leather jacket. "I have to go. I'll see you guys next Monday."

"Later." Garth replied as Jo waved him off. 

Dean went out to the parking lot to see if Castiel was there and just like he expected, he was. "Cas?" He called out softly but loud enough that Castiel could hear him. 

Castiel turned around with a surprised look on his face. He wasn't expecting to hear from Dean any time soon. "Yes?"

"I uh," he glanced around the parking lot and attempted to finish his sentence. "I'm really sorry."

Castiel raised a brow. "Why are you apologizing?"

"For what I said, how I treated you and I...I just wanted you to know that I didn't mean any of it."

"It's fine."

"It's not. I hurt you." He stepped closer but immediately backed away after realizing he still needed to watch his steps. "I'm sorry." He took in the sight of Castiel's features one more time before running off to the impala. He regretted approaching Castiel because now he would have his scent, his voice, his everything freshly on his mind all over again. It was torture. 

It was Friday night so that meant date weekend for Castiel's parents. Every month they would pick a weekend to go away and spend time together. Castiel liked it because it gave him the weekend to enjoy being home alone. They picked the perfect weekend because after his run in with Dean at school he needed some time to regroup. The silence though was destroyed once he heard someone banging on his door. He wasn't expecting anyone. 

He went down to see what was going on and was shocked to see Dean standing there. "Dean? What are you doing here?"

Dean laughed and wrapped his arms around Castiel and hugged him. "I don't know, man. I was gonna go home but I can't. I'm so not right. I- I'm something and damn I don't know how." He snorted. "I'm not making any sense am I? I probably sound batshit crazy…or shitbat crazy. which way is it? Shit Cas, I swear I wasn't drinking. I made a promise to you and I kept it. Do you believe me?"

Castiel pulled Dean inside before they woke up all of the neighbors. After closing and locking the door he led Dean down the hall to his bedroom. It was like déjà vu from when he first brought Dean to his house. "What did you have to drink?"

"Nothing I swear, Cas." 

Castiel sighed and started undressing Dean after getting him on the bed. "Okay, what did you consume tonight?"

"I turned down the alcohol and took the pop instead. Pepsi or Cola I think. It was some kind of fizzy shit. Gordon gave it to me."

Of course Gordon had something to do with this. "Did he drive you home?" 

Dean shook his head. "Nah, Ash did. Gordon disappeared, man. It was weird." He watched Castiel strip him of his clothes and smirked. "Sorry for just showing up. I didn't want to go home like this." 

"It's okay. Just get some rest and you'll be fine in the morning." 

Dean sat up some and gripped onto Castiel's shirt then yanked him closer. "Thank you." He said before kissing him, running his hands up under the teen's shirt. "Now let me show you my gratitude." 

"No Dean, you are high on something. You just need to sleep." He would NOT have sex with Dean when he didn't even know what he was doing. 

"Ugh, fiiiiine party pooper." He smiled and pulled at Castiel's collar. "You could at least get naked with me."

"No." He unbuttoned Dean's shirt next but froze at the sight. "Dean..." 

Dean just laid there sprawled out on his friend's bed. "Ignore it."

Castiel lightly traced his fingertips over the dark bruises. He could feel Dean's muscles tense at the touch so he stopped. "I'll get you some ice for them."

"No. It’s fine, they don't hurt. Just kiss me." He and his father got into a fight only a few days ago and the bruises were beginning to show on his ribs and chest.

"No." He stared down at Dean for the longest before speaking. The bruises on Dean's hips worried him the most. "Did he? Did your father do this?" He asked, touching the bruised hip. 

Dean shook his head. "No. I don't know where those came from."

Castiel bit his lip. That wasn't good. "Okay. We'll talk in the morning about it. You need rest right now."

Dean just nodded and relaxed as the comforter was pulled over him. He really wasn't drinking; Gordon gave him something to get Dean more active with the party. Luckily Ash was there and made sure nothing happened to him. 

"Goodnight, Dean." He folded Dean's clothes and sat them in the chair next to the bed. He would sleep in the guest room so he wouldn't disturb the other.

* * *

The next morning provided useful to Castiel. He made a pit stop to someone’s house because last night wasn’t acceptable.

* * *

**_Earlier that morning—_ **

_Castiel knocked on the door and waited to be answered. Frankly he was upset and taking everything to heart. When the door opened he smiled at the teen standing before him. “What did you give Dean last night?” He asked as politely as possible._

_Gordon stood there with a smirk. “Oh ease up Goodie Two-Shoes. I just gave him a little GHB but Just enough so he’d stop moping around. It was a party man.”_

_Castiel narrowed his eyes. “You could have killed him.”_

_“He’ll live.”_

_Castiel took a breath because he was trying with every ounce of his will power not to lose it. He wasn’t a violent person but when it came to people he cared about all the rules changed._

_What do you care? It’s none of your business anyway.”_

_“Stay away from Dean.” It was like he blacked out because when he focused back on Gordon the teen was lying in the doorway on the floor with a broken bloody nose. “If you go near Dean again I will not be so nice next time.”_

_“The fuck man, you call that nice? Ugh, shit.”_

* * *

**_Current—_ **

Dean woke up early in the morning with a splitting headache and feeling nauseous. "Ah, fuck." He sat up and assessed the room he was in. "Cas." He crawled out of bed and grabbed his jeans from the chair and put them on as he left the room. "Cas?"

"I'm in the kitchen." He was sitting at the table eating a bowl of cantaloupe. "Are you hungry?"

Dean shook his head and sat down across from his friend. "I'm sorry about all of this."

"Don't be." He smiled and glanced over Dean's appearance. Bed head suited Dean greatly. "How do you feel?"

"Like death actually."

"That sounds about right.

The boys laughed and the room suddenly took on a deadly silence. It was more of an awkward situation because they both missed each other’s company and the way they just fell back into sync with each other within a few seconds was astounding. 

"I wanted to talk to you about something, Dean."

"Yeah?" 

"The bruises on your hips."

Dean looked down at his bare torso and recognized the few bruises there but his hips, he didn't remember those. "I really don't know where those came from. They weren't there a few days ago."

Castiel watched him and let his own eyes wander over Dean's injuries. He wouldn't ever forgive John for the mental and physical abuse that he put Dean through on the daily basis. He slid his bowl over to Dean and smiled softly. “Eat.”

“I’m not hungry.”

“Still try. You need something in your stomach.”

He sighed and nodded. “Alright, mother.”

“I was thinking. I don’t think you should go back home. I don’t want you to go back.”

“It’s not like I have a choice Cas.”

“You do.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I have an idea but you have to be sure you want out of your home.”

He looked at him for a moment before speaking. “What do you have in mind?”


	8. Crave You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean and Castiel finally get some alone time but the peace doesn't ever last when it comes to Dean's life. Meanwhile, Castiel's parents speak with Dean about the new arrangements and the Gordon incident is revealed.

The boys stood under the shower head in silence. The sound of the water hitting their bodies echoed throughout the bathroom. Dean had Castiel's back pressed up against the tiled wall and his right hand glued to the boy's hip. Frankly he wanted more out of their moment but other things clouded his judgment and yanked for his attention. 

Dean laughed softly while his face was buried in Castiel's neck. It wasn't a laughing matter but he really enjoyed being that close to Castiel. It made life seem easier. "I think you should further explain your idea, buddy." He whispered against soaked skin. "Because leaving it at, 'I have an idea but you have to be sure you want out of your home' is like the worst cliffhanger to spring on a person."

Castiel lifted his head and rested it against the tiled surface. "Dean, you are about to turn 17 in January, correct?"

Dean nodded in agreement and placed a kiss on his friend's neck. "Yeah, why?"

"If you are absolutely sure you're willing to leave then I want you here with me. Safe." There was more than enough room at his home and his parents adored Dean. "If you're worried that he won't let you leave then we shall simply change his mind."

Dean pulled back some and searched Castiel's expression. "There is no changing my dad’s mind."

"That is where I come in." He brought his hands up to trace over the bruises on Dean’s body. “Your body Dean, he punched you multiple times and I'm sure he wouldn't want you to report that because he left impressions on your body, impressions that can easily be matched if a hospital is notified." He dropped his hands to Dean's hips and pulled him closer. "I'll take pictures for back ups."

It was a good idea but he wasn’t sure if it was full proof. Still, his father wouldn’t want anyone finding out. "Cas, your parents don't um..."

"I haven't told anyone."

He sighed softly and kissed Castiel on the lips. "Thank you." The plan sounded great but the only thing he worried about was his father's reaction. He also worried about his brother but he knew John wouldn't touch Sam. Plus their mother would kill John if she knew about the abuse that Dean endured all those years. "Your parents would be okay with this?"

Castiel nodded. "They are very fond of you." He smirked and kissed Dean back. “I am very fond of you.”

Dean smiled and rested their foreheads together. He loved Castiel's parents because they were so warm and inviting. They treated him like he was their own son. They even called him during the first week he was away from Castiel because they were worried something happened to him. "I'll do it. I want out." He wanted out so badly. It had been nearly a decade dealing with his father and it was time. He was determined to break away from suffering in silence.

Castiel smiled and wrapped his arms around Dean's neck. "That makes me very happy, Dean."

* * *

The duo finished their shower and got dressed. Castiel had a conversation on the phone with his parents about the situation and they were obviously curious about the issues he was referring to. He was vague and said it was a touchy subject for Dean to discuss and that he would talk when he was comfortable. They made a compromise that Dean would be open and honest with them when he was ready but needed to give them the basics soon. So he relayed the message and plans were set into motion. 

"I can't believe your parents said yes to this."

"I told you they adore you."

Dean just smiled. "Your parents are amazing."

Castiel smiled and crawled on top of Dean and whispered softly into his ear. " _You're_ amazing." He lifted up slightly and captured the teen's lips in a kiss. "So very amazing."

Dean moaned into the kiss while he ran his fingers up Castiel's bare back. "Flattery will get you everywhere~"

Castiel really liked to touch Dean. He liked to look him in the eyes. It was like a stare off but he always won because Dean would end up blushing and looking away. 

Initially it made Dean uncomfortable at first; somehow shy. The contact, the consistency of each light advance sent chills down his spine. Castiel's eyes on his, direct and inviting when they spoke, when they kissed, when they touched. It was all surreal to him but he didn't want it to stop. He didn't ever want it to stop. 

Taking notice of the blush had Castiel yearning with anticipation and want. "You are so beautiful." He whispered, bringing his hand up to the side of Dean's face. He thumbed a circle on his friend's cheek then kissed him again.

"I love you, Dean."

His filter was gone because he was thinking that.

Yet the thought was verbalized.

* * *

Dean didn’t even have a chance to reply to Castiel’s confession since his parents called home and interrupted the moment. He was happy because he didn’t know how to respond to that. In reality he was just afraid. He felt horrible for not saying anything back but he’d rather do that than say something he wasn’t even sure he meant.

“Dean?” Naomi called out again on the other end of the phone.

“Um, yea- yes?”

“We lost you for a moment. You were lost in your thoughts weren’t you?”

He laughed nervously and nodded. “Yes, sorry about that.” He glanced over at Castiel who was staring intently at him. “What was your question?”

“Do you need help gathering your things?”

“Uh, no. Thanks but I got it. Cas can help me if I need some.” Dean could feel Castiel’s eyes on him and it made him uneasy. He knew he wanted to talk about what happened.

“Alright, we’ll be home Sunday night so you two behave. Also Dean, we will have to speak with your parents about this arrangement.” She was curious about Dean’s home life and she planned to talk with Dean’s parents because there was no way she was going through with the move without at least speaking with them.

“Of course, thank you again Mrs. Novak.”

“You’re welcome, Dean. Enjoy the rest of the weekend.” With that, she hung up.

"Cas, will you come with me to my house?”

Castiel nodded and followed his friend out of the bedroom and downstairs to retrieve their shoes.

“So are you going to say something?” Dean asked.

“Say what?”

“You know what.”

Castiel smiled softly and took Dean’s hand pulling him close. “When I said that I love you I didn’t expect you to say it back to me. I just wanted you to know how I felt.” He murmured as he kissed Dean’s forehead. “So please, do not stress over my feelings for you.”

Dean pulled Castiel back and hugged him tightly. He wasn’t sure if he ‘ _loved_ him loved him’ but he definitely felt something there.

* * *

Luckily there was no one home at Dean’s house so packing was less of a problem. They managed to lug three suitcases worth of clothes and necessities back to Castiel’s house. It was tedious but they both were happy that the abuse would soon be over.

When Dean did decided to explain to Castiel’s parents the entire story he knew they wouldn’t just ignore it. They would report it but for the time being, he wasn’t ready for that kind of chaos. “Alright Cas, I think that’s all I need.” He looked around his bedroom and took in the sight. He couldn’t believe that he was leaving his home. “Let’s go.” It was the beginning of a new era.

* * *

The guest room was huge to say the least. It was bigger than his room back home. He was extremely grateful that Castiel’s parents were allowing him to stay with them. He paused unpacking his clothes when there was a knock on the bedroom door. “Come on in.”

Castiel opened the door and smiled. “Do you need any help unpacking?”

Dean shook his head. “Nah, I’m just putting up clothes. Thanks though.”

Castiel moved over to the bed and took a seat. He was hiding it well but he saw through the smile Dean put on. He was anxious, terrified, and sad. He wanted to make everything better for him. “You know you can talk to me right?”

Dean quietly nodded.

“About anything.”

“Yeah, Cas.”

The room went eerily quiet. All you could hear was the sounds of clothes being folded and drawers opening and closing. They usually did well in silence but under the circumstances, things were different.

“I must tell you something before someone else informs you.” He didn’t want Dean to be the last to know.

“What’s up?”

“Your friend Gordon, I spoke with him this morning.”

“How come?”

“I wanted to know what exactly he gave you at that party and I—“ he wasn’t sure how to phrase it. “Perhaps I lost my temper.”

He finished stuffing clothes into the drawers and turned to look at his friend. “What are you talking about, man? Lost your temper how?”

“I broke his nose and told him to stay away from you.”

“What the hell, man?”

“He gave you drugs. I was concerned but mainly I was upset. Something could have happened to you. You might not have made it back to my home.”

“But nothing happened. Are you crazy?” He was pissed. He was having flashbacks of his father telling him who he could and could not hang out with. It wasn’t a great memory so of course he felt backed into a corner. “You can’t just go around punching people because they did something you don’t like."

“You’re not just anyone, Dean. He was doing things to _you_ that I don’t like. You’re important to me.”

He walked over to Castiel and yanked him up off the bed. “I don’t care! That wasn’t—“ He backed away when he realized he had Castiel’s shirt tightly clutched between his fingers. “I’m sorry.” The last thing he wanted was to become like his father. “I’m really sorry.” Sorry wasn’t enough though, he had to get out of there. “I’m gonna— fresh air.”

“Dean, wait.”  
  
“NO! I need to clear my head.” He tore his gaze from those deep blues and exited the room. He wouldn’t hurt Castiel. He refused to.

He hated that they had so many arguments that revolved around his drama. He didn’t want Castiel dealing with any of it. He felt like he was no good for him. “Shit. I'm sorry...”


	9. Misguided Ghosts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean and Cas make up after their argument but things still aren't where they should be. Either way, Dean is in a good place and that's all Castiel ever wanted. Later, a confrontation between John and Castiel proves too much for Dean to handle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a long journey with this fic and there is one more chapter before it ends! I hope you all enjoyed the road so far!

It was absolutely exhilarating at how just the little caresses and touches could unravel Castiel. Dean enjoyed how simple it was to leave the teen a complete smoldering wreck; it was a beautiful, breathtaking view. When he felt satisfied with the outcome he pulled away from his friend and grinned down at him. "You good?" He asked.

Castiel was a dash of flushed, a teaspoon of embarrassed and a cup of turned on. So no, he was not good. His body felt like it was going to explode. "I believe you already know the answer to that, Dean." He said softly, gnawing at his bottom lip. On the other hand, they did make up from their argument earlier and clearly they were letting bygones be bygones. All Dean needed was a little time alone to clear his head. So yeah, maybe he was good.

Dean just smirked, his eyes roaming over Castiel's features before pausing at his lips. "I'm assuming no because of this," he dropped his hand down between his friend's legs and reveled in the sounds that came rushing past Castiel's full lips. It was a mixture of a rough moan soaked in pleasure. He wanted to hear more of it.

"D-Dean!" He brought his hand up to Dean's shoulder and braced himself for another teasing gesture but to his surprise, nothing happened.

"Yeah?"

"You are a cruel human being."

"Thank you." As Dean undressed Castiel he wondered how they had come this far. Of course he didn't mind it but still, he was curious about their progress. While he slowly drifted down his friend's body he planting soft nips and kisses on the teen's torso. Teasing Castiel had become a new hobby of his.

Castiel's body jerked at the touch. He couldn't help it, his body was sensitive. Feeling boisterous, he threaded his fingers through Dean's hair and yanked him back up into a kiss before forcefully flipping their position. Battling for dominance was a normal thing for them when they were intimate.

Dean grunted as his hand slipped into Castiel's boxers. "Impatient I see." He teased.

Castiel shuddered lightly and of course he made no move to derail Dean's motion. He just stared down at him with half-lidded eyes as he watched Dean work his magic.

With a languid moan from Castiel, Dean ran his fingertips over his friend's erection. He was exhausted from walking so long but his movements weren't lacking energy.

As Castiel brought his hand down from Dean's shoulder he traced the outline of one of the bruises on Dean's ribs. It was clearly an older one since the dark bluish tint was fading to a dull black. He snapped away from his observation when he saw Dean gnawing on his bottom lip from the touch. They were still sore obviously. He leaned down to Dean to drag his tongue slowly across his jawline only to linger for a moment to plant a few more kisses there but he couldn't ignore the growing speed of Dean's hand.

The bruise under Dean's jaw clearly was new but also a different kind of bruise compared to the others. That one was created out of passion and Castiel's obsession with giving him hickeys.

Dean listened carefully to the soft pants slipping past Castiel's lips. That only prompted him to pick up the speed. Every so often he would catch Castiel rolling his hips as he dug his nails into his sides. That's what sent Dean over the edge.

Castiel savored the moment because there was nothing that could measure up to the sight of Dean watching him moan and writhe in pleasure. "Y-you should stay," he whispered against Dean's shoulder.

"Cas?"

"Just for tonight, I know you don't officially move in until tomorrow but," he shuddered at Dean's hand getting tighter. "I-I need you here."

"Okay." He didn't even fight it. Hell, he had no intentions of fighting it, especially with Castiel's hand now working him over. He would agree to anything at the moment.

Castiel exhaled hard with a smile on his face. "G-good." He eased his head up from Dean's neck then locked lips with him again. It was a rough kiss with a muffled moan that was masked by their connected mouths. Lost in ecstasy, he rolled his hips yet again with mirth.

Dean laughed softly and studied the beautiful expressions on the teen's face. "S-shit, Cas."

They were just getting started.

* * *

It was early in the morning now, 5 o' clock to be exact and Castiel was curled up against Dean with his fingers tangled in his hair. Dean tried to move but Castiel's grip on his hair forced him to settle for just relaxing there a bit longer.

That idea was a bad one because the noises Cas made in his slumber were borderline pornographic.

"Cas, baby?" He whispered with a light shake to Castiel's torso.

He yawned softly and mumbled something against Dean's neck before going still again. He wasn't ready to get up just yet.

"We have to get up, okay?"

Castiel lifted his head to glance at the clock then glared at Dean. "Lies."

Dean laughed and brought his hand to Castiel's and laced their fingers together. "Or we could do something else in the early hours of the morning."

Castiel was tempted but sex didn't even motivate him to move. He enjoyed just lying there with Dean. "None for you."

"I was talking about jogging but what you're thinking of sounds fun too."

He laughed into his pillows and blindly swatted at Dean. "Alright, how many miles do you have in mind?"

"Four."

He nodded and reluctantly sat up. "Okay, I'm up now."

Dean chuckled as he reached over to Castiel's messy hair and ruffled it more. "The Bride of Frankenstein has risen."

"Excuse me?"

"Please don't tell me you've never seen that movie."

"I have not seen it."

"Cas, you're so sad." He tapped the side of his friends face before rolling out of bed. "Come on, shower time." He didn't mess around with running into the bathroom since it was cold and he was naked.

* * *

**_Sunday—_ **

Dean had been away from home for three days and Mary thought nothing of it since he called frequently to talk to her and Sam. John on the other hand wasn't pleased. He only resented Castiel more since he was the reason Dean was keeping his distance from the house.

Castiel's parents were returning home that night to meet with Dean's parents about him staying with them. Dean wouldn't lie, he was freaking out about that outcome since Mary and John would be finding out for the first time when they all meet up. Mary would be questioning why he wants to leave home and he wasn't willing to explain that- not yet at least. He sighed softly and looked up from his phone when he heard his name being called again. "Uh, what'd you say?"

"I said are you ready?" Castiel asked.

"Yeah, let's go." He stood from the couch and moved to the front door. They had to pick up a few things from Dean's home since he needed to grab the rest of his clothes and some books for school.

Castiel took notice of the distraught look on Dean's face and he wanted nothing more than to reassure him that everything would be fine. "I don't mind running over there for you. You can stay-"

"No." What if John was there? He wouldn't just let Castiel waltz in there and leave with anything. No chance in hell.

He took Dean's hand and smiled softly. "Then let's go. I am right here beside you, okay?"

Dean nodded before walking out of the house and heading to his home across the street with Castiel.

* * *

Dean packed a mini suitcase this time and quickly stuffed the remainder of his clothes from his drawers and tossed the books on top to help zip the case up. "This isn't very organized but I couldn't give a rats' ass."

Castiel laughed. "Do you need me to grab anything?"

"Can you get my jacket from the hallway closet by the stairs? It's a black leather one."

"Of course." He exited the room and went to retrieve the jacket as requested.

Dean didn't realize how much stuff he _didn't_ want to leave behind. He found himself grabbing pictures of himself with Sammy and their mother because those were the most important things he owned. He smiled down at the one from Sam's 6th birthday. They had gone to the park to celebrate and it was the last time he could remember not having any problems. "Hey, Cas? Did you get lost in Narnia of something?" He laughed and zipped up the suitcase before grabbing his backpack off the bed. "Cas?" He walked over to his desk and turned the music off that was playing and walked out of the room with his things. "Dude, do you hear me callin' you?"

Dean sighed when he stepped into the hallway. He glanced at the closet and saw that it was open but Castiel wasn't there. "Cas?" He walked over to the closet door then went down the steps. "What the fuck, this isn't funny, man."

"He's not playing, I don't think." A voice called out to Dean.

Dean's heart dropped into his stomach when he heard his father's voice. He glanced to his right only to see his father standing there in the middle of the kitchen. "Where the hell is Cas?"

"He fell for you Dean, literally." John laughed and pointed to the steps. The man was obviously drunk since he was leaning against the counter to stand.

There was a smudge of blood on the fourth step from the top and he started to panic.

"He isn't very coordinated I guess."

Dean approached his father and grabbed him by his collar. "Where is he!?"

"Dean, you ungrateful little shit. You run away from home like a coward and expect me to help you? I taught you better than that. You don't need him, you can come home now."

"W-what did you do to him? Where-" He paused when he saw a glimpse of blood drops leading behind the counter.

"I told you playing music loudly in your room would come back to bite you in the ass."

On impulse Dean drew back his arm and the next thing he knew his father had a bloody mouth and he couldn't stop hitting him. John was on the floor now and Dean just kept punching him and punching him. All of the anger, fear, anxiety, and frustration just spilled out of him at once. If it weren't for the fact that Castiel was hurt, he would have killed his father. He stared down at John for a moment then his hands before pushing away. A broken nose and jaw was probably the most damage done and he was sure that would keep John down.

He ran to Castiel and leaned over him as he called for help on his phone. "Cas, I'm here. I need you to say something, please. I just need you to say something, anything." If he lost the one person who made his life worth living, he wouldn't make it. Castiel had become his everything.

"This is selfish of me, but Castiel, where the fuck would I be without you?" He said softly, heart heavy and tears in his eyes. "You can't leave me."

Castiel groaned and his fingers gripped onto Dean's wrist, embracing him tightly to reassure him that he wasn't going anywhere.

Dean laughed numbly and just pulled Castiel close and hugged him. "Damn it, Cas." He knew he should have come alone.

* * *

To say the least, things weren't better by any chance; the situation kept getting worse and worse as time progressed. Castiel had a concussion, a broken arm, and bruised ribs from the _push_ down the stairs. Fortunately Dean didn't have to make the call to Cas' parents since the hospital called once they had the teen situated. To make matters worse, Mary and Sam came home to cops in the house and John under arrest for assault and battery. Things seemed to have blown up and Dean just checked out from life and was only focused on Castiel. That was all that mattered at the moment.

Dean felt terrible under it all though; he blamed himself because he brought John into Cas' life. He put Castiel in danger and couldn't protect him. "Fuck." He muttered to himself as he paced the hallway outside of Castiel's room. The nurse said that he couldn't go in since he wasn't family and would have to wait until the parents arrived.

After 5 hours of waiting they finally arrived. All they were told was that Castiel was attacked and Dean called for the ambulance. Naomi ran right over to Dean and questioned him.

"I'm so sorry, this is my fault." That's all he could get verbalized before they rushed into Castiel's room.

* * *

After another torturous hour of waiting the nurse exited the room and told Dean that he could see Castiel now. He wasted no time and was by his friend's side in seconds. "How ya feelin', buddy?"

"Honestly, pretty good."

"They have him on pain killers." Naomi said, pushing Castiel's hair from his face. "I'm pretty sure he feels great."

"Mrs. Novak, I'm really sorry about all of this. I just-"

"He doesn't know how to say no to me, mother." Cas interrupted.

Naomi raised a brow; she still didn't know who did this to her son.

Dean swallowed thickly. "My dad did this."

"Your father?"

Dean nodded. "There is a reason I didn't want to stay home."

Naomi eventually connected the dots and placed a hand on Dean's shoulder. "Dean, this isn't your fault." She said softly. "Don't blame yourself for something your father did, okay?"

Dean smiled weakly and nodded. When he felt Naomi's arms wrap around him, he relaxed into the embraced. He was starting to think maybe it wasn't his fault.

"Can you give us moment to talk, mother?" Castiel requested.

She agreed and exited the room to join her husband in the lobby.

They weren't mad at Dean for what happened and she didn't know how to get that across to him. Of course they were upset their son was hurt but Dean helped him and she was grateful for that. She considered Dean apart of the family and would continue trying to show that to him even if it killed her.

The silence was dangerous and both boys seemed to say so much with their glances. "Look, Cas, I shouldn't have left you alone, I'm really sorry and I- I don't know how to fix this and—"

Castiel cut him off with a gesture of his hand and spoke. "You can't fix everything and not everything is your fault. You can't control your father's actions, Dean. So I do not want to hear you say sorry about this again."

Dean sighed as he rested against the side of the bed. "I'm glad you're okay." Leaning down he kissed Castiel on the lips then gave him a peck on the nose. "I guess it's my turn to nurse you back to health now, huh?"

Castiel reached up with his good arm and pulled Dean onto the hospital bed with him. He kissed him lightly on the neck then spoke softly. "I love you, Dean Winchester."

"I love you too, Castiel Novak." Dean didn't even hesitate with his words.

He finally said it back and he meant it.


	10. Windmills

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean isn't handling the events of the fallout very well but Castiel is recovering so that's keeping him grounded. In the meantime, Dean tries to mend his relationship with his mother and cope with everything being out in the open. From there he moves on and tries to keep a handle on his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the final chapter and it has been grand writing this fic! I hope you all enjoy this closing chapter and fic overall!

Castiel woke up the next morning in pain. It took him a while to register what happened because it was all a blurry haze when he tried to think about it. His body was throbbing and his mother was completely right, the medicine they administered was no joke. Bringing a pale hand to his face he groaned. His head was pounding and his body ached with each breath that he took. "God," he said shakily. "My head is killing me." His voice was raspy, he probably needed water but he didn't bother sitting up straight to attempt. It didn't take long for his eyes to dart to the figure sitting in the chair by the door.

How long had he been there?

"Dean," he cooed softly. Had he really been there all night? It may have sounded cliché but Dean was like no other, he was unique and it seemed as if he was made specifically for him.

His eyes wandered over Dean's. His eyelashes were brushing against freckled cheeks, his lips were slightly parted, and his breathing was relaxed and even. He looked so peaceful that Cas hated that he had to wake him.

"Dean," he whispered at first before his voice grew a notch. "Wake up."

Dean grumbled something and shook his head. "I ain't leaving," he began firmly, eyes still closed. "I told you that already, lady. I ain't leaving until he's allowed to leave."

It was getting down to the nitty-gritty in Castiel's situation; they said he could be discharged in five days but the concussion worried them as well as the bruised ribs that turned out to be broken. They also wanted to be sure there was no internal bleeding or severe brain damage. Some things showed up later rather than immediately. "Dean."

Dean jumped a bit at the slightly elevated voice. "I'm up!" His eyes scanned over the teen and a smile appeared on his face. "Cas, you're up." He pushed himself from the chair and was by Castiel's side within seconds. "Shit, I thought you were going to sleep forever." He said with a laugh. "How ya feelin' though, buddy?"

"Sore? I'm not quite sure; I think I'm dosed again."

"They have you on the strong stuff." Dean leaned onto the bed and with no warning he kissed him. "I um, I'm glad you're okay-ish." He wanted to tell him that his father wasn't getting out anytime soon and that his mother was devastated and falling apart. He knew he should be home but he felt guilty that his mother was blaming herself for the abuse he endured. He kept it to himself because he wanted Castiel to focus on recovering. "They said you can come home in a few days."

"Good, I'm growing tired of hospital meals."

"They wouldn't let me sneak you in a burger."

"It is the thought that counts."

* * *

Four days had passed since the incident and Dean finally returned home. He hated seeing his mother cry because it was like someone ripping his heart out and setting it on fire. It was real. Yes, he tried to tell her it wasn't her fault and that she couldn't have possibly known but Dean was trying to convince himself of that in the process. Mary was a great mother; she was caring, concerned, and loving. She was also so overly distracted with Sam that most things slipped past her. Dean didn't want to acknowledge that because Mary didn't mean to miss important events that altered and ruined half of Dean's life.

"Mom, it's okay, really." He wrapped his arms around the blond and hugged her. "I promise I'm okay, I'm not the one in the hospital you know? So don't worry about me, okay?"

"How long." She whispered into Dean's shoulder. How long had she been blind to her husband's aggression?

"That doesn't matter-"

"Tell me, please."

"Since... since I was nine."

Another choked sob emitted into the room. She couldn't believe her eldest son had been suffering for so long.

"Mom, I'm sorry." He hugged her tighter and tried his best to calm her.

* * *

He wasn't expecting for them to just talk and everything would suddenly be forgotten, that wasn't a possibility. Mary understood why Dean didn't want to come home and she wouldn't press him about it- she just didn't want to lose her relationship with her son.

Dean had driven back to the hospital to pick up Castiel. They were finally releasing him and his parents gave permission to bring him home. "You're looking a lot better."

"I feel a lot better, Dean." He said as he slipped on his shoes. "But my mother called this morning, she's concerned about you."

Dean looked up at Cas and raised a brow. "Why is that?" He walked over to the bed and leaned against it. "I'm fine."

"She said you went to speak with your mother." He paused. "You also haven't spoken to me about your parents since- you know."

"Cas, that's not really something good to talk about."

"It is bothering you, yes?"

"Well, yeah, but that doesn't matter."

"It does."

"Cas."

He sighed and grabbed his jacket off the bed. "I'm just worried."

"Please don't be. I said I'm fine, I swear I'm not lying." He reached out and took Castiel's hand. "To be honest, I'm relieved. I just want to move on, you know?" He smiled and pressed their foreheads together. "I'm pissed at my mom but shit, it's not her fault. I guess I waited for her to save me and somewhere down that road I gave up waiting for her. I wanted her to see that I was fucked up but that day never came. So I'm over it."

"That is not something that you just, ' _get over_ ', Dean. You've been abused since you were a child."

"Cas, I don't want to talk about this."

"I understand, but you have to eventually." He placed a hand on Dean's hip and pulled him closer. "I am sorry."

Dean hugged him and buried his face into his neck. He knew Castiel was right but Dean was in no place to open up old wounds to heal. "Soon, okay?"

"Of course."

It was true; Dean didn't want to talk about it because it didn't help much. His father was in jail, his family was in shamble, Castiel was caught in the crossfires, and he couldn't help but blame himself for everything. The only thing keeping him together was Sam and Castiel. So for the time being he was content with focusing on just that.

* * *

Castiel moaned while his hands snaked up Dean's back. He was still hurt but they managed to work around that little road block. "So, is t-this a thing now with you apologizing with your body?" He whispered, breath hitched while he spoke.

"I haven't gotten any complaints from you." He teased as his mouth latched onto Castiel's neck. It wasn't a _thing_ but he needed to release some of the stress he was feeling and talking wasn't the option he wanted to take.

"Dean?"

"No. It's not a thing, Cas. I just want you."

He tilted his head back when Dean's mouth found his throat. Soon sharp teeth grazed across the skin. "Good because I am sure that would be an unhealthy habit." He brought his hand up to Dean's hair and tugged lightly. "You are aware that you can talk to me, right?"

"Yeah," he mumbled against Castiel's collarbone. "I know."

Castiel moaned louder and Dean hushed him with a kiss. "D-Dean, I'm close."

"Not yet, baby." He grinned and slid down Castiel's body. "Not yet."

* * *

"I fucked up." Dean said out of nowhere. They had been lying there in silence for a few hours after their intimate encounter.

Castiel halted his actions of tracing Dean's jawline. "Excuse me."

"I fucked up- I screwed up my family, I got you hurt, and I can't fucking fix it."

"Dean,"

"It's true." He closed his eyes and pulled away from Castiel." He thought he was handling the events well but deep down he was putting on a show to keep everyone from worrying and he knew Castiel saw through it.

"Dean," he whispered with conviction. "What your father did to you was not your fault. The decisions your father made were his own and his alone and there was nothing you could do about that." He grabbed Dean's chin and lifted his head. "You are one person and you can't save everyone. But you should know it is okay to let yourself be saved."

Dean stared at him with wide eyes. He prided himself on his strength and endurance but the tears in his eyes made him feel weak. Well, that's what he learned from his father at least. ' _Crying isn't what a man does, that only proves that you're weak, Dean. How am I supposed to call you my son?_ '. "Fuck, Cas." He forced out in a cold brittle tone. "It's been months and you're still trying to wreck my armor."

"I don't mean to."

"But you do." He reached out and yanked him closer and kissed his forehead. "I guess that's what keeps me from drowning, huh? That armor was defective anyway; it only weighed me down and it didn't float very well." He laughed and threw his arm over his eyes to stop the tears. They just kept streaming down his cheeks. "Thank you, Cas. I know I probably rely way too much on you and I'm so screwed up and I just-"

"Dean?"

"Yeah, Cas?"

"It is also okay to cry."

That's how many days went after that, Dean unraveling at random moments and Castiel keeping him together.

* * *

Things were over but they were also just beginning. Adjusting to the new aspect of his life was difficult but he managed. He spent more time with his mother and they formed a more solid relationship. His relationship with Sam grew stronger and their family began to heal. John on the other hand was facing 13 years for attempted murder, 3 for assault and battery, and 3 for child abuse. That didn't make Dean feel any better but it sure as hell made him feel less threatened.

Dean still didn't return home and who could blame him? His home was toxic with bad memories. Castiel's parents were wonderful and welcomed him into their family with such ease.

Mary and Sam moved out of their home and found a better house closer to the school. Dean visited often but he never stayed the night. Things weren't perfect but there was potential.

Five months had passed since the life shattering events hit the fan. No one really discussed it except Dean when he talked with Castiel. He had come to terms with the events and he was coping better with the abuse. He hadn't touched any form of alcohol since the night he showed up at Castiel's house five months ago, and his grades were even outstanding. He was doing great and Cas was proud of him.

It was nearing the end of April and Dean was excited about the closing of their junior year. They had a little less than two months before summer vacation. A lot had happened that school year but not all of it was tragic. He met Castiel, he overcame some personal issues, and he was getting help for the abuse he faced.

"Oh, Cas, I love it when you get all frowns and glares."

Castiel huffed as he stuffed books into his locker. "Too tired, Dean." He tried to be grumpy but between the kisses to his neck and the fingers ghosting along his hip, he couldn't be grumpy. "Dean, this isn't appropriate for school-"

"Neither is all of this," he whispered, referring to Castiel's body while he outlined it with his hands.

Castiel made a noise and turned to face Dean after closing his locker. "You are... interesting." He grinned and pushed up some then kissed Dean on the lips. They made no effort to hide their affection at school. Most people figured something was going on between them and they didn't have a problem with it. Those who did have a problem kept their mouths shut because Dean wasn't shy about punching someone in the face if they got obnoxious. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah, you can drive." He smirked and shoved the keys to the Impala into Castiel's front pocket. "Sam wants to see us today, he called me this morning."

"He texted me the results of the competition from last weekend. He won. We should get him something before visiting." He suggested as they headed down the hall.

"I'm still on board the moose shirt. He'll get a nerdy kick out of that."

"Moose don't do chemistry, Dean."

"No shit, Sherlock, that's the whole point of the shirt. You know humorous puns with chemistry."

"Sure."

Dean laughed and took Castiel's hand leading him out of the school. "It's funny, don't question it."

"Of course, if you say so, Dean."

"Ah, you're so lucky I love you."

Castiel smiled and threaded their fingers. "I love you too."


End file.
